The Key Guard
by baby le
Summary: William "Liam" Swann Turner III finds himself in trouble with the Pirate King & Captain of the Flying Dutchman when he's caught playing with the very item he's supposed to guard.


**Disclaimer: I own NOTHING. Well, except for Mohammed & Pierre. I actually do own them. **

**Summary: **William "Liam" Swann Turner III finds himself in trouble with the Pirate King & Captain of the Flying Dutchman when he's caught playing with the very item he's supposed to guard.

**Inspiration: **Inspired by a pic from the Turningpirate community on LJ.

**Author's Note:** This is actually post-AWE, and takes place at Shipwreck Cove. I'm going with the idea that Shipwreck Cove is a bunch of ships put together and sits on water, and that's how Will is able to move about. Major thanks to Chris, my twin & [apparently equally bad beta-er. haha. You did a great job beta-ing this for me.

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"Puppy! Puppy!" William "Liam" Swann Turner III called out as he, and two other little boys, chased a dog with a pair of keys in his mouth. They all stopped when the dog turned the corner leading to an even longer corridor, refusing to reveal itself.

"It's not a puppy, Liam," Mohammed, son of the Pirate Lord of India, corrected him. At the moment, Liam didn't care. All he cared about was getting those keys back from the dog. He was going to be in trouble, he could feel it. Mischief always seemed to follow him and he never knew why. Some said it was a trait from his mother. She told him stories of the mischief she got into as a girl, whether it was sneaking out of the governor's mansion to meet with a certain young blacksmith, or finding herself mixed up with pirates, she always found herself in a sticky situation. Others said it came from his father, a good man who had the best intentions for every action, but ended up tangled in something bigger than himself.

"Yeah, Liam, it's a fully grown dog, puppies are smaller. That dog could eat you," Pierre, son of the Pirate Lord of France, cut in. The three boys all stood at the beginning of the hallway, catching their breaths and pondering their next move.

"I'm not afraid of that dog," Liam said bravely. "We need to get those keys back."

"How?" Pierre wondered. Out of all three of them, Pierre was the one to blame for the dog having the keys to begin with. If he hadn't suggested a game of tug of war with the dog, the dog wouldn't have run off with the keys, and he wouldn't have entered the hallway that led to the Pirate Lord's sleeping quarters at the very end.

"Shh, listen," Liam whispered, and motioned for Mohammed and Pierre to hide behind the corner. The three boys held out their ears and listened for any sound that might give them a lead as to the whereabouts of the dog with the keys. He never really had a name, and Captain Jack just called him "the dumb dog." They heard the soft scratching of claws and paws on the wooden floor, and the whimper of a dog. Liam peered around the corner to see what room the dog went into. He saw the dog reach the end of the hallway and slip into the room, then, the door closed.

"Oh, bugger," Liam muttered. The dog went inside the Pirate King's room! At the sound of the door closing, the three boys hid behind the corner again, away from view, this time hearing the sounds of _human_footsteps. Liam could hear two distinct voices, and looked around again. He recognized one voice belonging to the Pirate King, the other, belonging to one of the King's servants. The King had instructed the servant to keep the room in order, for when the Captain of the Flying Dutchman arrived, and to let the dog out once it got restless. Perhaps the Pirate King didn't notice the keys hanging from its mouth when it entered?

When he was sure the voices faded, Liam motioned for his companions to follow his lead, another trait he was sure he had inherited from both his parents. The three boys tiptoed slowly into the hallway, praying that none of the Pirate Lords would find them creeping around, unaccompanied. Once they reached the end of the hallway, unscathed and unseen, Liam opened the door to the Pirate King's room.

"If the Pirate King sees us in here, the court will have our heads!" Mohammed quietly yelled.

"Only if you don't lower your voice," Pierre scolded, as the three of them tiptoed around the room, still not finding the dog.

Liam began to think. If _he _were a dog with a set of keys in his mouth, where would he hide? Then, the answer came to him. The keys weren't an ordinary set of keys. They were the keys to the book that contained the Pirate Code, the most ancient book in all of pirate lore. He was familiar with this book, and knew that if its keys were discovered missing, _he_would be in trouble, especially with the Pirate King. Liam walked further into the room, and found the dog in the far wall, sitting on the Pirate Code, keys in his mouth, staring at Liam as if he were challenging him.

The three little boys approached the dog and tried to pry the keys from its mouth but the dog refused to relinquish the keys from its grip.

"What do we do now?" Mohammed asked, seeming to think of something.

"Dumb dog," Liam blatantly said, as he stared right back at the animal. Then, an idea hit him. The dog was clearly looking for a challenger, a staring contest. He had done staring contests with Captain Jack Sparrow, and his own father, countless times. Captain Jack would last longer than he. His father on the other hand, while feared and respected throughout the seas, usually cracked into smiles before Liam could ever really stare him down. He preferred it that way, anyways. His mother told him that his father's smile could warm even the coldest of hearts, and he'd been told over and over that he was the spitting image of his father. However, he wasn't looking to warm the dog's heart, he was looking to stare him down until he gave back the keys.

"I have an idea," Liam replied as he sat across the dog, legs crossed and his gaze fixated on the animal. But it didn't feel right. The dog had the advantage of height and was probably staring above his head, and not into his eyes. Liam pondered how he would do this. The bed was too tall, and surely the Pirate King would notice a dog had been on the bed. He thought again, and reached for the chain that hung around his neck, fingering the pendant, also a key. His face lit up, as it finally struck him at how he would beat his four-legged opponent. Liam sprang to his feet and went to the large wardrobe nearby. He opened the double doors and nearly jumped inside. Mohammed and Pierre looked to each other, neither knowing what their seemingly fearless leader was doing inside the Pirate King's wardrobe.

Liam dug around behind the multitude of long shirts, pants, a few pairs of boots and some light dresses, and emerged from the wardrobe with a chest in his hands. He plopped the chest on the floor, making a loud thud.

"Help me push it," Liam told the two boys. The three of them pushed the chest towards the dog, still sitting on the book, keys in mouth, and looking as if it hadn't blinked at all.

"What are you going to do now?" Pierre asked.

"I'm going to stare him down, 'til he releases the keys," Liam replied, confidently, climbing on top of the chest, and sitting on it.

"What?!" the two other boys cried.

"I've done this thousands of times with Captain Jack and my father. He'll give in," Liam explained. Another bright idea hit him as he sat atop the chest. He took hold of the chain he wore around his neck and put it to his mouth, similar to his challenger. If the dog thought he was looking in a mirror, it would imitate his actions, and release the keys. And Liam could then put them back in the meeting hall, and_no one _would ever know, and _he _wouldn't be in trouble. The last thought embedding itself into his head as he stared the dog down.

"How long is this supposed to last?" Mohammed asked, not knowing what else to do.

"Whenever he releases the keys," Liam said in between his gritted teeth. The two boys looked to each other again, and sat on the floor, and watched to see if anything happened. Five minutes went by and neither the boy nor the dog moved. Liam's eyes soon began to sting, as the air began to seep in, making him want to blink. But he couldn't. His challenger would be the first to blink, not him. He could do it, if he held out just a little longer.

Suddenly, the door burst open, causing all three boys, and the dog to turn around.

"What's going on in here?" a voice called out. Two tall figures approached the three boys. Liam recognized the two figures; one was the Captain of the Flying Dutchman, and the other, the Pirate King. Or, as he knew them—

"Mother, father," Liam gulped, key still in his mouth, as his two friends scurried off to the side, leaving the path open for his parents. He was frozen atop the chest, unable to move, for he knew what was coming. They approached him, slowly, each step they took causing his heart to beat faster, 'til they were both looking down on him.

"Liam," his mother, Elizabeth Swann-Turner, Pirate Lord of Singapore, Pirate King, began in that warning tone. He knew that tone well. It was the tone she used before she gave him a good scolding, and some sort of punishment. He looked up at his parents, key still in his mouth, and that was when the blasted dog decided to drop the keys and scurry out of the room. Dumb dog.

Elizabeth held out her hand, signaling that she wanted the key. Liam opened his mouth, releasing the key into his mother's palm. She took the key from him, never breaking her eye contact. Liam looked to his father for some sort of comforting look, but to no avail. Was his father angry also? He'd never done anything to anger his father, and had never known him to have a temper. But, this was the first he'd been in trouble in front of his father.

"Will," his mother spoke. "Take Pierre and Mohammed to their fathers, I'm sure they'd like to know what sort of activities their sons have been up to." Will turned and led the other two boys out of the room and shut the door behind him.

Elizabeth released a sigh, and knelt down to Liam's level. "Liam, what were you thinking?"

He felt himself shake. His mother wasn't yelling, but her voice had a hint of both disappointment and concern. "You know you're not supposed to play with the chest. Do you remember what's in it?"

He nodded. His father had entrusted him to guard the key to the chest that contained his heart, which was buried at the bottom of her wardrobe. No one was supposed to know where the chest was, or _what _it contained.

"What would possess you to take out the chest? And in front of Mohammed and Pierre?" her voice was still calm, but it was getting higher.

"I-I wanted to-to," he began as tears threatened to fall, and his voice shook.

He sniffled and tried to speak again, "I-I wanted to get the keys back from the dog. Pierre wanted to play tug of war with the dog, and when he pulled too hard, the dog ran off, into your room and I thought that if I had a staring contest with the dog, he'd release the keys. I'm sorry." Liam sniffled again, and looked down at the floor, unable to face his mother. Better yet, how would he face his father when he heard what he'd done? The thought of his father being angry and upset with him was enough to let his tears fall.

Elizabeth's face softened as she heard her son's words. He was only doing what he thought was right, something reminiscent of his father. She embraced him once she saw the tears run down his cheek. He truly felt as if he'd disappointed them both, something he never intended. Elizabeth hugged him closer to her, feeling his tears on her shoulder. When she felt him stop crying, she released him, hands still on his shoulders.

"I know that you only wanted to do what was best," she began. "But you have to remember, Papa's heart belongs to us, and we need to guard it until your ninth birthday." Liam nodded. His ninth birthday was only two years away; he'd be a good guard of his Papa's heart up until that moment. Would his father would still let him guard the key?

"We can't be careless with it, and show it to other people. Not even to Mohammed and Pierre, understood?" Liam nodded, as the last of his trembles and tears faded.

"Liam?" a voice cut in. Mother and son turned to see the Captain of the Flying Dutchman, standing in the doorway. Elizabeth rose to her feet and watched Will approach their son. Will could never be upset with his son. No, the boy was his pride and joy. A symbol of everything he and Elizabeth shared and a small glimpse of his future once his service was over. The limited time he got to spend with his family was what kept him going until the ten years were through. Elizabeth had told him many stories of his son's adventures, but this was the first he had ever really witnessed. If truth be told, Will found it endearing, seeing his son in action. As Will approached his son, Elizabeth handed him the key to the chest, which had previously been dangling from Liam's mouth.

"I'll leave you two alone," Elizabeth replied softly and left the room.

Will picked up his son, and carried him to the bed, and seated himself next him. "So, I see you had a bit of an adventure yourself," he began.

"Yes, sir," Liam nodded. His eyes were still a little puffy from crying, and he began to sniffle again. Liam feared that his father was indeed angry with him, and wouldn't let him guard the key to his heart anymore. Another thing he wouldn't want taken away. His father had given him the key to guard when he turned five, and Liam loved being entrusted with something so important. But now, because of his irrational behavior, it was going to be taken away.

Will held the key in his hand, "I'm sure your mother already told you this, but you mustn't play with the chest."

Liam nodded again, "I understand Papa. Are you angry that I didn't take care of your heart like you asked me to?"

Will let out a chuckle, "No. You and your mother have been doing an excellent job of taking care of my heart. In fact," Will hoisted Liam onto his lap and whispered, "You're my favorite key guard."

Liam's face lit up, "Really?!"

Will chuckled again and smiled back at his son, "Yes. Just don't use it to intimidate the dog. You see, you're like the dog." Liam was suddenly confused. How was he like the dog?!

"How, Papa?" he wondered.

"Well, the dog has to guard the keys to the Pirate Code, and _you_have to guard the key to my heart. You have to make sure no one gets it and guard it with your life." Will explained, hoping that it made sense to his son. Now Liam understood why the dog wouldn't let the keys from his grasp once they had given them to him when the game of tug-of-war began. The dog had a duty to guard the book, and _he _had a duty to guard the key that held his father's heart.

Liam nodded again, "I understand, Papa. I won't let _anyone_near your heart. Only me and Mother."

Will smiled at his son's ability to absorb something so complex at such a young age. "Good, and now, there's only one thing to do," he said, lifting the key to his son's view.

"What?" Liam wondered.

"You need the key," Will replied and slipped the chain that held the key over his son's head. Liam fingered the key again, taking pride in the duty that his father, the Captain of the Flying Dutchman had entrusted to him, again. This time, he'd be the best key guard. No more trying to stare down the dumb dog. Will looked at his son finger the key, taking in every last detail of it, before tucking it into his shirt.

"I think the newly appointed key guard has to get to bed," a voice from the doorway cut in. Father and son turned to see Elizabeth standing there, watching the two. She'd been watching since she returned from speaking to Pierre and Mohammed's fathers. Watching Will slip the necklace over his son's head filled her with the most joy, and reminded her of how much being a father came naturally to Will. It also filled her with sadness at how much Will really missed with his son. A few visits in between months weren't enough. Liam was never two questions away from asking about his father from anyone he knew had ever come into contact with him. From his mother to Jack to Tai Huang, his mother's first mate on the _Empress_. She walked towards her two men sitting on the bed.

Liam grimaced at the notion of having to go to bed so soon, after being re-appointed guardian of the key to his father's heart. He then turned to his father, "Must I?"

Will looked to Elizabeth who gave him a look telling him that Liam _had_ to go to bed. He turned back to his son, "I'm afraid your mother's word is law." He leaned in and whispered, "Especially here, in Shipwreck Cove."

Elizabeth's mouth opened in shock, "You talk as if I rule with an iron fist."

Father and son turned to each other, and then back to her, "You do," they replied in unison.

Elizabeth didn't know whether to laugh or be appalled that they were implying she was an unforgiving King.

"Can Papa tuck me in?" Liam asked.

"Of course," she replied, and the three of them walked out to the next door, Liam's room. Liam ran into his room and quickly began to change into his sleeping clothes, waiting for his father to tuck him in. Before Will could enter his son's room, Elizabeth grasped his arm, pulled him close to her, and said, "I'll show you how unforgiving I am." Will returned her gaze, "We'll see about that," and entered his son's room.

As Will looked over to tuck in his son, he soon realized that he was fast asleep already, most likely tired from his adventures of the day. He pulled the sheet gently over his son, quietly studying his features, so much like his own, and yet he could still see Elizabeth there also. He also noticed the key around his son's neck, their other bond.

"Two years, son, two years," he quietly said, and placed a kiss on his forehead. He slipped out of the room and gently closed the door and made his way to the Pirate King's room. The sight that beheld him when he entered almost took his breath away. Elizabeth was in front of the mirror, adjusting what looked like a very thin and simple sleeping dress, her reflection enhanced by the candlelight that filled the room; she'd never look more beautiful. He walked towards her, coming up behind her, and placing his hands around her waist, as they faced the mirror.

He whispered in her ear, "Now, mighty Pirate King, show me how ruthless and unforgiving you are."

She smiled back and turned to him, "I give into no one's demands."

Will smirked at her again, "You will submit to the Captain of the Dutchman."

She leaned in closer, "Show me how," was her final reply before he brought his lips to hers. She led him to the bed, certain that she would eventually succumb to the demands of the Captain of that legendary ship.

**THE END.**

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**End Note: **This was my first POTC fic, so go easy on the reviewing. ) **  
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